PM: Southern Fence to be Built, No Matter What

Prime Minister Netanyahu redoubled his commitment to completing a fence on the southern border, after a terror attack earlier

By David Lev

First Publish: 6/18/2012, 5:55 PM

Binyamin Netanyahu

Reuters

Speaking at a Likud faction meeting Monday afternoon, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu redoubled his commitment to completing a fence on Israel's southern border. In the wake of an attack by terrorists earlier Monday against workers who were building the fence, Netanyahu said that Israel would not be moved from its plans to finish the fence, and that it was a matter of grave national security.

“Today there was a terror attack on our border with Egypt,” Netanyahu said. “An Israeli citizen was killed in this attack, as were two terrorists. The victim's name was Sa'ed Fachachte, and he was a resident of Haifa and a father of four. We send our condolences to his family,” Netanyahu said, adding that “this was an apparent attack on Israeli citizens, aimed at construction workers building the security fence in the south. Attacks like these will not stop us.”

The attack took place early Monday when a group of terrorists opened fire and set off an explosive at Defense Ministry contract workers who were working along the border fence with Egypt, near Nitzana. One of the workers, Fachachte, was wounded and died shortly thereafter of his wounds. IDF troops who were called to the scene began exchanging gunfire with the terrorists, killing at least two. A Kalashnikov rifle and hand grenades were found near the bodies of the terrorists. The entire southern area of Israel was on alert for hours afterwards, out of fear that several terrorists had gotten away and infiltrated Israel, but the alert was removed after several hours, when it was determined that no terrorist had escaped.

Speaking at the Likud meeting, Netanyahu said that “the border fence intended to prevent terror, and prevent illegal aliens from entering the country. Thus, its construction is a supreme national interest. I believe that, if my government had not decided on construction of the fence two years ago, we would today be experiencing a flood of illegal aliens, and an equally strong wave of terrorists,” the Prime Minister added.